All is set for Uganda Athletics Federations’ first national track trials and field event for the 2022 season.
After taking part in the first two events on the athletics calendar, which included the national cross country and the source of the Nile half marathon, athletes have now shifted focus on the national trials that will be held on Saturday at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
Several athletes have geared up for preparations as they target improving their time to beat the respective qualification standard marks for the upcoming international events.
The athletes are looking up to the trials to test their speed, endurance, and fitness as they bid to post standard qualifying marks for the commonwealth games, All Africa Games, world championships among others.
Bwaga Al Bashir, para sprinter says he is looking forward to the trials and he is confident that he will post his personal best time that will ignite his preparation for the 2022 World Para Athletics Grand Prix that will be held in Dubai late this month.
According to Bwaga he will focus on posting any 11 seconds time over the 100m distance which is the qualifying standard mark for the 2022 commonwealth games for para-athletes in the T-47 category.
Emmanuel Aboda, 100m and 200m sprinter for Uganda Prisons Athletics club say that he has spent the last four months in intense training and has been testing his time.
Sida Leni, the National record holder for the women’s 200m and 400m believes the national trials will help her check her levels of fitness after spending a sabbatical off competitive events since her last appearance in the Olympic games.
Paul Okello, the national sprints coach says that he has spent the last three months coaching several sprinters who gather at Mandela National stadium to utilize the track, although he acknowledged that most of the athletes are not on tier top form.
He believes they can have a good performance in the first track and field event.